Not many list managers are that interested in the now
Everyone in AFL clubland will argue that its the process/system, not results, that's important ... and in theory they are right.
But ultimately, it's still an incredibly superficial environment. The success of list managers, like most key roles, is judged by premierships and you'd be a brave person as a list manager to implement a strategy that doesn't take that context into consideration when your team is a contender.